Over the last four years, the K-Pop group BLACKPINK has been gathering momentum like a tidal wave just offshore. With the release of “How You Like That” last month, they suddenly rose above the world’s shores, blotted out the sun, and obliterated streaming records to the tune of 82 million views in 24 hours. Now, at long last, they’ve announced their debut studio album, and it’s coming October 2nd. Together Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa released a self-titled Japanese EP in 2017, and the Korean-language Square Up the following year. These were repackaged into the compilation album BLACKPINK IN YOUR AREA in 2018, and that project’s startling success allowed their label YG Entertainment to strike a bold new deal with Interscope. Suddenly, the quartet were global. They celebrated by rele...
BTS are set to release a brand new single on August 21st. “We have prepared a new single for ARMY, set for August 21st. We are preparing an album for the second half of this year, but decided to first release a single because we wanted to reach our fans as soon as possible,” the K-pop group revealed on V LIVE, a Korean livestream broadcasting app. “Due to COVID-19, people around the world have been going through tough times and we wanted to share some positive energy with our fans.” BTS further divulged that the new song “is upbeat and sung in English, just like ‘MIC Drop’ and ‘Waste It On Me’. We thought that the song sounded perfect as it is in English. We recorded the guide version and felt that the result was something totally new and fresh.” “When we first heard and recorded the song,...
It’s another special day for the BTS ARMY, as BTS have officially released their new album, Map of the Soul : 7 ~ The Journey ~, via Big Hit Entertainment. It’s now available to stream below via Apple Music or Spotify. This effort serves as the beloved K-pop group’s first Japanese album in over two years. Its 13 offerings expand on the tracklist of BTS’s most recent Korean-language record, Map of the Soul : 7, which dropped back in February. Included on ~ The Journey ~ are two all-new original songs, “Stay Gold” and “Rasen no Meikyuu -DNA Kagaku Sousa-“, as well as newly recorded versions of “ON”, “Black Swan”, “Make It Right”, and “Dionysus” in Japanese. Following today’s digital release, a physical version of the new album will arrive August 7th. Limited-edition versions of the ...
While it’s easy to feel overwhelmed given the current state of affairs, BTS are adamant about remaining hopeful. That’s the advice they’re looking to pass along to their fans in the new music video for “Stay Gold”. In the clip, members of the beloved K-pop group are separated from one another, left to wander alone through dark and dreary spaces. Still, they keep their heads up, dreaming of one day being reunited for a sunny, puppy-filled afternoon. I won’t spoil the cute ending, but let’s just say their patience is eventually rewarded. Watch the “Stay Gold” clip below. The single is off BTS’ upcoming Japanese-language album Map of the Soul : 7 ~ The Journey ~, due out July 15th through Big Hit Entertainment. Editors’ Picks Consequence of Sound recently named BTS’ previous album, ...
Hours after unveiling their new single to the masses, the K-pop phenoms BLACKPINK performed it live for the first time on Friday night’s The Tonight Show. Appearing remotely via a soundstage, and accompanied by a troupe of backing dancer, BLACKPINK delivered “How You Like That” with the energy and choreography you’ve come to expect from the K-pop group. Catch the replay below. In the first 24 hours of its release, “How You Like That” set a number of world records. Most notably, the single was viewed 82.4 million times on YouTube, smashing the single day record previously held by BTS’ “Boy With Luv” (74.6 million). Additionally, a total of 1.65 million people tuned in to watch the video’s live premiere on Friday, topping BTS’ previous record of 1.54 million. As of publication, “How You...
BTS are releasing a new Japanese-language album next month titled Map of the Soul : 7 ~ The Journey ~. The 13-track effort expands on the excellent Map of the Soul : 7 from earlier this year, boasting two new original songs. One of those, “Stay Gold”, has been released today and it features the K-pop boyband in full serenade mode. “Stay gold, even in a dream/ Stay gold/ I’ll find you,” BTS sing during the swooning chorus. “Stay gold, gold/ I want to see you/ Stay gold/ You are everything/ Stay gold/ For everyone.” It’s the perfect sweet morsel of love and warmth the world needs right about now. Hear it for yourself below. This new offering comes just as BTS made chart history in Japan. According to Forbes, newly released mid-year reports show that BTS topped the country’s 2020 album ...
BTS can’t stop, won’t stop… even during a global pandemic. On the heels of their participating in the Obamas’ “Dear Class of 2020” digital graduation event, during which the k-pop group gave a commencement speech and headlined the afterparty, BTS has announced a new album. Map of the Soul : 7 ~ The Journey ~ marks BTS’s first Japanese album in over two years. It’ll be released digitally on July 14th with a physical release to follow in the U.S. on August 7th. The Journey expands on the tracklist of BTS’s most recent Korean album, Map of the Soul : 7, which was released back in February. Included on the new album are two original songs, “Stay Gold” and “Rasen no Meikyuu -DNA Kagaku Sousa-“, as well as newly recorded versions of “ON”, “Black Swan”, “Make It Right”, and “Dionysus” in Japanese...
To close out the Obamas’ “Dear Class of 2020” virtual graduation ceremony, BTS and Megan Thee Stallion headlined a post-graduation party. BTS kicked off their mini-set with a high-energy, choreographed version of “Boy With Luv”. They then sat on stools for a soothing version of “Spring Day”, before closing out their performance with “Mikrokosmos”. Earlier on in the event, BTS gave a poignant commencement speech during which he member of the K-pop shared their own memories from graduation day. [embedded content] Meagan Thee Stallion delivered a medley of hits, including “Big Ole Freak”, “Hot Girl Summer”, “Captain Hook”, “Cash Shit”, and “Savage (Remix)”. [embedded content] The five-hour, festival-style event also featured performances from Katy Perry and Malmua. Perry sang her new sin...
BTS member Suga has dropped off a new mixtape under his Agust D moniker. Dubbed D-2, it’s streaming in full below alongside a new music video for “Daechwita”. For Suga, real-name Min Yoon-Gi, this marks his second overall following a self-titled solo tape in 2016. D-2 is comprised of a total of 10 songs, including titles like “Moonlight”, “Strange”, “Burn It”, and an interlude called “Set me free”. To celebrate the release, the K-pop megastar is sharing a visual for “Daechwita”, which is also the name for a kind of Korean military music. Directed by Yong Seok Choi (Lumpens), a sword-wielding Agust D and his group of friends conspire to take down a corrupt king. Editors’ Picks “The theme ‘Daechwita’ was already on my mind when I first started working on this track, so I samp...
Even a pandemic can’t stop BTS from connecting with their devoted ARMY. The beloved K-pop outfit has just announced a virtual concert called “BANG BANG CON The Live”, set to take place next month. A paid livestream event, “BANG BANG CON The Live” will see BTS intimately “inviting fans into their room” for 90 minutes of flashy K-pop and dance moves. The digital concert officially airs online on June 14th at 6:00 p.m. KST/ 5:00 a.m. EDT, with additional details coming in the near future. Editors’ Picks This virtual concert follows a similarly titled online event, “BANG BANG CON”, which occurred last month and featured BTS concert footage from the last six years. With their entire world tour on hold due to coronavirus, “BANG BANG CON The Live” is the next best thing for devout foll...